Reflexions Itinerant: July 2003 Archives

A small and unexpected trickle of emails from my students in Poland has found its way to my inbox; they're all very sincere messages, and rather reassuringly, it seems that many of us are of one mind in wanting to go back next year. I wish that I could commit to the idea, but it is something that can only be addressed at a later juncture.

I've had the chance to sort through most of my pictures now, as well as the dozen or so mpeg bursts I took at various points ("Stairs Travelogue"!), and in all, they seem to have captured all of the things that I remember most fondly about my stay. I'm not going to post them here, though they are all online elsewhere for those involved to find. For an idea of the weather we were dealing with much of the time, here is a picture of myself with another volunteer, Julia, following a four hour hike to the border with Slovakia, where we are pictured (click to enlarge). We crossed the fence that marked the border, of course, just for the "been there done that" experience, and then continued on our way toward Kasprowy Wierch, where an antique cable-car affording a fantastic view of nothing but cloud ferried us quickly back down the mountainside in next to no time at all.
An upside of the constant wet is that it makes you look years younger; this picture puts me at about eighteen all over again! Nonetheless, I'm happier dry and wrinkly in the longer term, much as I love hiking, whatever the weather.
I did come away with one downer, however, a case of iliotibial band friction syndrome; it was just setting in before I left for Poland and was exacerbated by the hours of steep downhill walking. Excruciating, but the worst has subsided and I'm on anti-inflammatories and forced rest, so hopefully back to normal soon.

There are so many things I'm going to miss :)

I arrived back in the United Kingdom this morning a good hour ahead of schedule, which is great considering the terrible weather on departure from Krakow Balica airport. I came within a hair's width of missing my flight because of the rain, but it made for some exciting sprints across flooded car parks, and a couple of amused glances from people at the security check and departure lounges; I was wearing white, so chances are that they could see my chest in its entirety. "Hee hee, check out those nipples!" Nipples is such an ugly word.

Yes, like all good Englishmen, I had an umbrella in my rucksack, but I was foolish enough to have my third arm removed before my eighth birthday in order to fit in. Big mistake for the baggage-laden moments of my life, and it certainly prevented me from keeping myself dry on this occasion. Flight was good, turbulence was fun, journey home was very quick. And it's Pride tomorrow... quality sleep is in order.

Ulica Florianska is a pretty street off the main square in Krakow; I arrived here this afternoon following a two hour bus-ride down from the mountains. Distance 100+ km, bus fare, about two US dollars. Nuts.

I am currently sat in an internet cafe, somewhat recessed from the steady flow of passers-by on the main pavement, checking up on the outside world for the last time before I begin my journey home, early tomorrow morning.

Saying my goodbyes, today, to the people - friends - with which I was working was a very moving experience for me. It has rarely been the case that I've found myself treated so affectionately by so many and in so short a time, and this morning was certainly an exception that will stick in my mind. The strangest aspect of it all is the fact that I've only been here for eleven days; perhaps sticking together pretty much 24/7 made all the difference, but whatever the case, there were many handshakes, even more hugs, and even some tears. It really didn't seem silly at the time, though I expect that in due course, the memory will become static in my mind and perhaps lose much of its poignancy.

But in the meantime, it is all fresh, and I have plenty to digest - getting a good look at my mountain of pictures will be a great reminder of what has been a really wonderful experience; I'd like to recount some of it here if I find the time, but until then, all I have to say is my own private "thank you" to my friends and students for making it all so very memorable; I know you'll never see this, but that really isn't a point of consequence.

A wonderful country. I'll be back in Poland one day, and hopefully soon, mark my words.

Current position is a tiny internet cafe on the main street of Zakopane, gateway to the Tatry (Tartarus) Mountains of Poland. I'll only be here for a couple, but thought it'd be nice to post a little "Czesc" to the Universe in general. It has been a really wonderful experience out here, and things are going well, but I'm sure I'll get onto that when time is a little less precious - id est, when I'm home, rested, and supposed to be getting on with my real work once again. Fantastic country; add it to your list.